Lower Nintendo 3DS Sales Prompts Fiscal Revision

Nintendo has lowered its forecast for the 2013 fiscal year to reflect lower-than-expected 3DS sales, among other factors. However, the company still expects a profit for the year.

The company has lowered its profit forecast for the year from 20 billion yen (over $250 million) to 6 billion yen (over $75 million). Despite selling more than five million 3DS units in territories other than in Japan in the first half of this year (and over 19 million units of software for the handheld), this was lower than the expected numbers – which themselves were higher than the sales numbers notched last fiscal year. Nintendo anticipates to sell 17.5 million units for the full fiscal year, bringing the platform to almost 40 million in lifetime sales.

In general, Nintendo's overall revenue expectations were down 6.8 percent, and losses were increased as compared to the company's original prediction (28 billion yen as opposed to 20 billion yen) for the first half of this fiscal year.

Still, Nintendo expects the Wii U to come out strong, with 5.5 million units in predicted sales through March of next year.